Soaking pit chipper



Oct. 14, 1969 R -r ET AL SQAKING PIT CHIPPER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1966 INVENTORS Louis A. Grant B William H. Bickersioff ,iQM/W ATToRNEYs SOAKING PIT CHIPPER 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 5, 1966 mm mm ,vm mm Y 8 &m o e h W M l 8 mm m mm WA M W Om B 8 w H L m o M ATTORNEY Get. 14, 1969 R T ETAL SOAKING PIT CHIPPER 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 5, 1966 Fig. 5

INVENTORI Louis A. Grant William H. Bickerstuff ATTORNEY;

061:. 14, 1969 GRANT ET AL SOAKING PIT CHIPPER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 3, 1966 J/ZBZ INVENTORB' Louis A. Gram William Wdaip H. Bickerstuff Get. 14, 1969 GR T ET AL 3,471,888

SOAKING PIT CHIPPER Filed Jan. 3, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. H

INVENTORS Louis A. Grant William H. Bickerstuff 3,471,888 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 3,471,888 SOAKING PIT CHIPPER Louis A. Grant and William H. Bickerstaff, Allegheny County, Pa, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Louis A. Grant, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 518,215 Int. Cl. A4Sd 24/44; Etllg 3/04; E21c 9/00 US. Cl. 15-104.07 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Various forms of demolition apparatus are disclosed for removing the extremely hard debris which collects on the floor and lower wall surfaces of soaking pit furnaces and the like. The apparatus includes novel supporting means for positioning the apparatus along the coping rails or other support means of the furnace and for supporting and manipulating a demolition tool. The demolition tool is pivoted to a telescoping boom assembly which in turn is pivoted centrally of the underside of a turntable. One or more such turntables and boom assemblies can be provided. In the latter case, the turntables are rotatable independently of one another. In other forms of the invention, means are provided for removably clamping down the supporting components against the application of prying forces by the demolition tool or tools or for stabilizing the turntables supporting structures against the same forces.

The present invention relates to a carrier and manipulator for a pneumatic or other demolition tool such as a drill, chisel, hammer, or the like, and more particularly to a carrier and manipulator which is capable of both rough and fine adjustment of the demolition tool over a wide work area without resetting the carrier and manipulator therefor.

The invention is particularly adapted for removing the extremely hard debris which accumulates on the bottom of soaking pit furnaces, used in connection with the steel making process. Such soaking pits are usually arranged in aligned rows thereof and vary between 12 and 20 feet in depth. The soaking pit is usually constructed with a very heavy steel bottom and steel sidewalls, and pig iron or steel ingots are placed in the pits where they are bathed with gas flames or the like to maintain them at elevated temperatures until they can be received at the next station in the steel manufacturing or fabricating process, as the case may be.

Maintaining the ingots at elevated temperatures not only conserves heat previously imparted thereto but in addition prevents cracking or spalling or other malformation resulting from overrapid cooling. During the soaking process and during handling of the ingots as when inserting and removing them from the pit, slag and other surface contamination and foreign matter are removed which collect on the bottom of the pit Where, due to the elevated temperatures, these materials are sintered to an extremely hard mass.

Heretofore, a particularly diflicult task has been encountered in the removal of such debris from the bottoms of the soaking pits. To avoid production delays, when such pits need cleaning, this must be done while the walls and floors of the pits are still at rather high temperatures.

Previously, it has been necessary in most cases to send operating personnel into the pits to manipulate manually within the pits the heavy pneumatic drills, chisels, hammers or the like required to break up the very hard debris covering the floors of the pits. The use of such tools is rendered quite hazardous because of the high temperature environment, and the time which a single operator could remain in the pits without impairment of health and efliciency was severely limited.

In other cases, a crawler-mounted carrier and manipulator structure or chipper carrying one of the aforementioned tools was utilized for breaking up the hardened material. Some of these structures had to be rested on the walls dividing the pits and required considerable and expensive wall reinforcement to support the added weight of the crawlers. Moreover, these crawler-mounted structures were cumbersome to move, and difiicult to position for accurate control of the tool carried thereon. This equipment, moreover, could not reach all points of the pit floors effectively and is cumbersome and slow in moving from one pit to the next. Moreover, additional separation between adjoining rows of pits was necessary in some cases to accommodate the crawler. As a result, the widened areas between the pits required additional structural reinforcement to accommodate the weight of the wider crawlers. Finally, the weight of the cantilevered portions of this form of carrier and manipulator rendered it difficult to make fine adjustments in the placement and in the inclination of the tool to a given location in the floor of the pit.

Our invention solves the aforementioned difficulties by the provision of a pair of rail or track members extending along the lateral sides respectively of each row of soaking pits. A carrier is arranged for movement along the tracks and, in one example, is provided with a pair of wheel-supported trucks engaging the tracks for movement along the tracks and along the entire row of soaking pits. In another arrangement, the carrier is either slidably mounted or wheel-mounted upon the tracks or rails and is further provided with rail clamp means at each end thereof for clamping engagement with the rails to stabilize the carrier during operation of the demolition tool or the like. The tracks are supported by the Walls of the soaking pit, and, being quite narrow in comparison with the aforementioned crawler mechanism, eliminate the need for increased wall width and other additional structural reinforcement between the adjacent rows of soaking pits. One or more tool manipulators are rotatably mounted upon the aforementioned carriers, and means are associated with the tool manipulator for raising and lowering the tool manipulated thereby and for angularly adjusting the inclination of both the manipulators and the tools in any direction relative to the carrier, depending upon the rotative positions of the manipulators, to impart a fine adjustment of a universal character to the tool. A coarse adjustment is imparted to the tool manipulators by moving the support structure along the supporting tracks.

During the foregoing discussion, various objects, features and advantages of the invention have been alluded to.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention together with constructional details thereof will be elaborated upon during the following description of certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention, together with presently preferred methods of practicing the same.

In the accompanying drawings, we have shown certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention and have illustrated presently preferred methods of practicing the same, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear, right side and bottom isometric view of one form of tool carrier and manipulator structure arranged in accordance with our invention and shown here with a cut-away portion of a soaking pit or the like;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the tool carrier and manipulator structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the tool carpier and manipulator structure shown in FIGURE 2, with portions thereof in section and other portions thereof broken away in order to show the invention more clearly;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the tool carrier and manipulator structure shown in FIGURE 3:

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational View of the turntable, manipulator, and tool assembly shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the telescoping portions of the manipulator structure shown in FIGURE 5 and taken along reference plane VIVI thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a right side and bottom isometric view of another form of tool carrier and manipulating structure arranged in accordance with the invention and likewise shown in the soaking pit application;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the tool carrier and manipulating structure partly in section shown in FIGURE 7 and taken on line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged partially sectioned elevational view of the turntable assembly forming part of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 12 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 11 and taken along reference line XIIXII thereof.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the tool carrier and manipulator assembly of our invention, designated generally by the reference character 10, is mounted for movement along a pair of supporting rails 12 and 14 which are secured adjacent to the sides respectively of a soaking pit or the like 16. The soaking pit 16 may be one of a row of such pits along with the rails 12 and 14 are extended continuously in a similar manner.

The carrier and manipulator assembly 10 includes a carriage portion 18 which is movably supported upon the rails 12 and 14 or other suitable external support means by means of a number of wheel-mounted stub shafts or axles 20, two of which are adjustably secured at each end of the carriage structure 18, in the manner described below.

A pair of tool manipulators 22 are each mounted upon a turntable 24 with the turntables 24 being arranged in tandem along the length of the carrier structure 18, as better shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings. Each tool manipulator 22, in this example, is formed with telescoping boom portions 26 and 28, with the lower portion 28 of the boom assembly terminating in a pivot mounting 30 to which is secured a suitable tool such as an air hammer 32.

An operators seat 34 is secured to the carriage structure 18 in underslung fashion so that operating personnel can readily observe the placement and progress of the boom assemblies 22 and the tools 32 carried thereby. If desired a pair of such seats can be provided with duplicate operating consoles for the tool manipulators 22, so that the manipulators can be operated individually by a pair of operators. It is also contemplated that a movably mounted operator cab (such as that described below with reference to FIGURES 7-10) can be utilized.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 to 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the carriage structure 18 or other rigid support structure is supported along its length by a pair of I beams 36, the upper flanges 41 of which are cut away in the central region of the carriage, as denoted by reference characters 38, in order to accommodate an oil tank 40 to supply the various hydraulic systems of the tool carrier and manipulator structure 10. The oil tank 40 is thereby mounted on the bottom flanges 42 of the 4 I-beams 36, and if desired, other elements of the hydraulic circuit, such as a hydraulic pump and associated components can be mounted on top of the oil tank 40 as denoted by the dashed outlines 44.

A pair of stiffener plates 46 overlies the top flanges 41 of the I-beams 36 at the ends respectively of the oil tank 40 and are welded to the top flanges. A pair of apertured bridging plates 48 overlie the upper flanges 41 of the I-beams 36, and, in this example are each spaced longitudinally of the central lateral axis of the carriage structure 18 so as to lie closely adjacent the ends of the stiffener plates 46. To impart added strength to the carriage structure, the bridging plates 48 are welded to the ends of the stiffening plates 46 as denoted by the reference character 50. The apertured bridging plates 48 also are welded about their outer periphery to the upper beam flanges 41 as denoted by reference character 52 (FIG- URE 3).

A supporting cylinder 54 is extended through and closely fitted in each generally centrally disposed aperture 56 of the bridging plates 48. Each cylinder 54 is desired to support the associated turntable 24 and tool manipulator 22 secured thereto, together with rotating means for the turnable, all of which is described in greater detail hereinafter. Each supporting cylinder 54 is welded to its bridging plate 48 by means of upper and lower peripheral weldments 58 and 60.

The ends of the I-beams 36 rest respectively upon pairs of transverse supporting end plates 62 and 64, with each pair of the end plates 62, 64 being welded to the bottom flanges 42 at the adjacent ends of the beams 36. The joints thus made are stabilized by one or more gussets 66, and the end plate structures 62, 64 are further stabilized by lateral and end cross plates 68 and 70 respectively.

Adjacent each end of each end plate assembly 62, 64 one of the axles 20 mentioned previously, is adjustably mounted. In furtherance of this purpose, the mounting for each axle housing a pair of aligned, cylindrical axle housings 72 and 74 which are secured in suitable apertures therefor, in the end plates 62 and 64 respectively. In the inner end portion of the inwardly disposed axle housing '72 is threaded, as denoted by reference character 76, for cooperation with a similarly threaded portion 78 adjacent the inward end of the axle 20. The other axle housing 74 is provided with a sleeve-type bearing 80 in order to accommodate any adjusting, sliding and rotating movement of the axle 20, when the latter is rotated for threading inwardly or outwardly of the axle housings 72, 74 to vary the span between the wheels 82 which are rotatably mounted on the outward ends of the axles 20. When thus adjusted, the axles 20 are locked in a selected threaded engagement with their respective inner housings 72 by means of lock nuts 84. The inward ends of the axles 20 desirably are necked-down to a suitable wrenc h configuration as denoted by reference character 86.

The outward ends of the axles 20 are journaled to accommodate a sleeve-type bearing 88 on which the wheels 82 are mounted respectively. Each wheel 82 and associated bearing 88 is retained on the axle journal 90 by means of a washer 92 abutting the shoulder 94 formed by the journaled portion 90 and by an end cap 96 bolted or otherwise secured to the outer extremity of each axle 20. In this example, the wheels 82 are of the railway type it); proper engagement with the supporting rails 12 and There is also shown in FIGURE 3 a detailed disclosure of the supporting and rotating mechanism associated with each turntable 24 and secured as noted previously to the bridging plates 48 of the carriage structure 18. Each of the supporting and rotating mechanisms is mounted as aforesaid upon its associated supporting cylinder 54, at the lower end of which, as viewed in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, are secured a X-type bearing assembly denoted schematically by cooperating bearing elements 98 and 100. The bearing elements 98 and 100 are respectively housed and supported in ring brackets 102 and 104 secured to the lower end of the associated supporting cylinder 54 and to the upper side of each turntable 24. The bearings elements 98 and 100 are secured to their respective ring brackets 102 and 104 by suitable fasteners such as mounting bolts 106 and 108 respectively. The ring brackets 102 and 104 are secured to the supporting cylinder 54 and to the upper surface of the turntable 24, for example, by welding. The turntable ring bracket is stabilized when thus secured by a plurality of radial gussets 110.

The aforementioned X-type bearings 98-100 are of known construction and generally take the form of alternately criss-crossed (X) bearings (not shown) for the absorption of the relatively large axial, radial, and bending forces associated with the boom structures 26, 28 and their operation. X-type bearings are available from the Messenger Bearing Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

For purposes of rotating the turntable 24, a relatively short drive tube 112 is secured to the upper surface of each turntable 24 and desirably at a position concentric with the central normal axis of the turntable 24. The drive tube 112 preferably is located in a shallow counter-sunk area 114 of the turntable where the drive tube is secured by means of mounting bolts 116. At the other or upper end of the drive tube 112, drive gear 118 is secured thereto by mounting bolts 128 and is thus positioned for cooperation with a pinion 122 secured to the outlet shaft of a gear box and drive motor assembly denoted generally by the reference character 124. The drive assembly 124 is mounted upon an L-shaped, depending bracket 126, which in turn is secured to the underside of the associated bridging plate 48. The drive assembly 124, when energized by suitable control means actuated from the operators seat 34 (FIGURE 1), imparts, through its reduction gear portion, a relatively slow rotary motion to the turntable 24 in order to permit precise positioning of the tool manipulator assembly 22 secured to the underside of the turntable 24, in a manner such as that described more fully hereinafter.

In order to further stabilize the turntable 24 against any tendency to tilt when the manipulator assembly 22 is displaced at an angle to the turntable, an elongated drive tube extension 128 is fitted closely at its lower end into the drive tube 112 and preferably is necked-down throughout its upper portion for a shouldered engagement with the inner periphery of the drive gear 118 as denoted by reference character 130. The drive tube extension 128 is secured to the drive tube 112 by means of an annular structural weldment 132 before the drive tube 112 is bolted to the turntable 24.

The upper end of the drive extension 128 is closely fitted Within a sleeve-type bearing 134, which in turn, is supported upon a cylindrical supporting sleeve 136. The cylindrical sleeve 136 is mounted upon an annular connecting plate 138, which in turn is supported upon an inner circumferential shoulder 140 of the supporting cylinder 54. When thus supported, the annular plate 138 is retained substantially in the plane of the bridging plate 48 in order to minimize shear stresses and to afford maximum support to the bearing sleeve 136.

As better shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, further support is afforded to the bearing supporting sleeve 136 by a plurality of radial gussets 142 which are welded between the cylindrical support 54 and the supporting sleeve 136. When thus positioned, the gussets 142 are aligned with additional outwardly extended radial supporting gussets 144 which in turn are welded to the supporting cylinder 54 and to the upper surface of the associated bridging plate 48. Additional radial support is lent to the supporting cylinder 54 by the addition of similar gussets 146 and 148 which are mounted at positions intermediate of the aforementioned gussets 144.

The upper end of the bearing support sleeve 136 is closed by a dust cap 150 in the central opening of which can be mounted a hydraulic swivel connection 152 if desired. In order to accommodate the drive assembly 124 the supporting cylinder 54 is notched as denoted by reference character 154, as also of the bridging plate at 156 and the annular supporting plate 138 at 158. If desired, additional circular openings 160 can be cut or punched in the annular plate 138 in order to provide access to the gearing train 118, 122 for maintenance or minor repair.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings, an exemplary tool manipulator or boom assembly is illustrated, which can be mounted on the undersurface of each of the turntables 24. Each boom assembly 22 is supported from a dependent bracket 162 secured to the undersurface of the associated turntable 24, as by welding. Each bracket 162 is formed from a pair of parallel plates 164, each of which is apertured adjacent its bottom end to form a female clevis 166. The clevis 166 is secured by means of pivot pin 168 to an eye bracket 170, which in turn is secured to the adjacent side surface of the boom assembly 22. Each of the bracket plates 164 is stabilized along its length by a pair of stiffener plates 172, while the surface area of the boom assembly adjacent its supporting eye bracket 170 is likewise stabilized by means of stiffener plates 174 and 176, the upper plate 176 of which acts as a stop at one limit of angular movement of the boom assembly 22.

The boom assembly 22 is pivoted about its supporting bracket 162 by means of a piston and cylinder arrangement denoted generally by reference character 178, which terminates at its respective ends in a female clevis 180 or 182. The upper clevis 180 is pivotally secured to an eye bracket 184 mounted on the underside of the associated turntable 24, while the lower clevis 182 is similarly secured to an eye bracket 186 secured adjacent the lower end of the upper telescoping boom 26.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that each boom assembly 22 can be pivoted throughout a substantial angle of inclination relative to the vertical axis of the associated turntable when the carriage structure 18 is mounted as shown in FIGURE 1. In addition, each turntable 24 can be rotated while its boom assembly 22 is maintained at a given angle of inclination so that the tools 32 carried by the boom assemblies 22 can cooperatively cover a large floor area of the soaking pit 16 or the like from a single stationary position of the carriage structure 18.

At the lower end of the lower telescoping boom 28 there is secured an offset tool supporting bracket 188 which terminates at its lower end in a female clevis 190, to which the tool 32 is pivotally secured by a pin 192 passing through the upper body portion of the tool 32. In this arrangement, the tool bracket 188 is formed from a pair of identical plates 194 secured to opposite sides of the lower boom 28. Eye brackets 196 and 198 are respectively secured across the offset edges of the bracket plates 194 and to the lower body portion of the tool 32. A similar piston and cylinder arrangement 208, but of smaller size, is secured between the eye brackets 196 and 198, in the manner described above in connection with the piston and cylinder arrangement 178, and is similarly operated to position the tool 32 at a desired angle of inclination relative to the boom assembly or manipulator 22.

Thus, when the boom assembly 22 is pivoted away from the central or vertical axis of the turntable 24, the tool 32 can be pivoted in the opposite direction if desired in order to realign the tool 32 with the aforesaid vertical axis, in which case it will be normal to the floor area 202 of the soaking pit 16. Of course, with this arrangement, the tool 32 can be disposed at this or some other angular disposition relative to the floor 202, regardless of the angle at which the associated boom assembly 22 is inclined, in order to secure the most effective cutting or chipping position of the tool 32 relative to the debris covering the floor 202 of the soaking pit or the like. If

desired, suitable driving means (not shown) can be substituted for the piston and cylinder arrangement 200 and mounted on the tool bracket 188 and in engagement with tool 32 to pivot the latter through an arc of 180 or greater, if the tool must be used, for example to clean the wall structures of the soaking pit 16 or the like.

In order to accommodate soaking pits of diifering depths and to permit movement of the tools 32 into the farthest corners of the floors thereof, each boom assembly 22 is arranged with telescoping boom portions 26 and 28, together with means for sliding each lower boom portion 28 within (or on) the associated upper boom portion 26, in order to raise and lower the tools 32. In furtherance of this purpose, each of the boom portions 26 and 28 are of hollow rectangular cross-sectional configuration and in this example, can be fabricated from steel corner pipes 204 and 206 with side plates 208 and 210 respectively welded thereto. As shown in FIGURES and 6 the inner or lower boom portion 28 is slidably mounted within the upper boom portion 26, and the telescoping action thereof is controlled by means of a piston and cylinder arrangement denoted generally by reference character 212. The last-mentioned piston and cylinder arrangement is pivotally connected at its ends to a pair of eye brackets 214 and 216 respectively secured to the inner wall surfaces of the lower boom portion 28 adjacent the lower end thereof, and to the upper or end plate 218 of the upper boom portion 26. The lower boom portion 28 can be variously telescoped within the upper boom portion 26 in order to raise and lower the tool 32 carried there by, by suitably manipulating the piston and cylinder arrangement 212.

Referring now to FIGURES 7-l2 of the drawings, another arrangement of the tool carrier and manipulating apparatus is illustrated therein. In this arrangement of the invention, the rigid support structure includes a first pair of transversely extending generally parallel supporting beams 224 as better shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 of the drawings. The beams 224 can take the form of I- or H- beams and can be secured to a pair of external supports such as coping rails 237 forming part of external support means for the rigid support structure. It is to be understood, of course, that the lengths of the first supporting beams 224 will be varied as required by the width of the soaking pit or the like in which the demolition apparatus is utilized. The first supporting beams 224 are releasably clamped to external supports for example the aforementioned rails 237 normally provided between the soaking pits. The clamping means 236 for this purpose are provided at each end of each first supporting beam 224 and can be generally similar to the supporting beam clamping means 234 described below. Desirably, however, the clamping means 236 are constructed as shown more particularly for use with first supporting beams 224 having a square cross section. When so arranged, the clamping means 236 are adapted for clamping the first supporting beams 224 to the upper flange of the associated one of the soaking pit rails 237. The support structure, in this example, further includes a second pair of supporting beams 220, 222 extending transversely of the first supporting beams and releasably clamped at their ends to the first beams 224. The second beams 220, 222 can be positioned along the length of the first beams 224 as required by a given application of the invention. In furtherance of this purpose, readily releasable clamping means 234, which are described below are secured to each end of each supporting beam 220, 222. The beams are maintained in generally parallel spaced relation by a rectangular open framework 226 fabricated in this example from pairs of channel beams 228 and 230. The framework 226 can be secured by welding, bolting or the like, to the abutting ends of the second beams 220, 222, which in this example are discontinuous in the area of the framework 226. When thus formed the junctions between the rectangular frame 226 and the supporting beams 220, 222

8 are stabilized by a number of gusset plates 223 and gusset plate 225.

The I-beams 220, 222 are also maintained in their parallel spaced relation by a bridging plate 232 which in this example is bolted to the adjacent top flange portions of the second supporting beams 220, 222 and is arranged to support the boom assembly turntable 270 described below.

This provision of clamping means 234 and 236 and first and second supporting beams 224 and 220, 222 permits the tool carrier and manipulator assembly to be adjustably positioned and clamped along the length of the first beams 224 or across the width of the soaking pit or the like and at the same time permits the assembly to be moved along the length of the soaking pit where it can be selectively clamped to the rails 237.

To aid in positioning the tool carrier and manipulator as aforesaid the rectangular frame 230 is provided with a pair of lifting hooks 238 which, in conjunction with a pair of lifting hooks 240 secured respectively to the adjacent end portions of the second supporting beams 220, 222, permit the apparatus to be lifted with a crane or the like and positioned either transversely along the first supporting beams 224 after first releasing the second beam clamps 234 or longitudinally along the rails 237 after first releasing the first beam clamps 236.

As better shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, the rail clamping means 236 include a pair of opposed C-shape clamping members 242 shaped to fit closely about the outer surfaces of the first supporting beams 224 and interfitting bolt and sleeve members 244 and 246 secured respectively to the C-clamps 242. The end of each first beam 224 is slotted as denoted by reference character 248 in order to accommodate the sleeve 246 and the bolt 244. The upper end of the bolt 244 extends through the upper C-clamp 242 Where it is secured by a pair of lock nuts 250. The lower end of the bolt 244 extends downwardly through the lower C-clamp 242 where it terminates in a rocker member 252 pivotally connected to the bolt 244. The rocker 252 includes a clamp portion having teeth 254 spaced from the underside of the lower C-clamp 242 so as to fit loosely beneath the top flange of the rail 237. When thus positioned the rocker 252 can be partially tightened by manipulating the lock nuts 250, after which considerable additional clamping force can be applied by pivoting the outer, un-engaged end of the rocker 252 downwardly by turning down thruster screw 256, which is provided at its upper end with a wrench configuration 258 for this purpose. This arrangement ensures the application of adequate clamping force to the rocker teeth 254 in order to secure retention of the rail flange between the rocker teeth 254 and the undersurface of the lower C-clamp member 242.

The first supporting beam clamps 234, on the other hand, are each formed as a box-like clamping arrangement so as to conform to the square configuration of the first supporting beams 224 utilized in this example. In furtherance of this purpose a depending bracket 260 is secured to the undersurface at each end of each second supporting beam 220 or 222. A generally V-shaped clamp member 262 is hingedly joined to the depending bracket 260 as denoted by reference character 264. The V-shape clamp member is provided with a slotted upwardly and outwardly extending securance tab 266 into which a toggle bolt arrangement 268 can be inserted and tightened in order to apply clamping pressure at the engaged surfaces of the spanner beams 224 with the end portions of the supporting beam 220, 222.

A demolition tool or the like together with manipulating structure therefor are mounted upon, as better shown in FIGURE 8 of the drawings, a turntable 270 rotatably mounted adjacent the lower end of a cylindrical support 272, which in turn is secured adjacent its upper end to the bridging plate 232 mentioned above. The manner of the rotational mounting, including the use of the so-called X-bearings, is similar to that described above in connection with FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings and therefore will not be elaborated upon at this point. In this arrangement the turntable 270 is strengthened by a central annular brace 274 from which radiate a plurality of stiltener plates or gussets 276.

To the underside of the turntable 270 is secured a relatively large eye bracket, to the eye of which is pivotally secured an extensible boom assembly 280 terminating in a tool cradle 282 and demolition tool 284, all of which are respectively similar to the boom assembly 22 and associated components described in detail with reference to FIGURE of the drawings.

In this arrangement the turntable 270 is rotated by a motor and gear reduction unit 286, having an output sprocket 288 as better shown in FIGURES l1 and 12 of the drawings. The motor and gear unit are mounted upon slide bracket 290, the supporting plate 292 of which is bolted to adjustment slots 294 in the bridging plate 232, as better shown in FIGURE 9. In order adjustably to position the drive unit 286 relative to the turntable sprocket 296 and thereby to apply the proper tension to chain 297, an adjustment screw 298 is threadedly engaged with the slide bracket 290 and is inserted through an apertured support bracket 300 therefor secured to the adjacent undersurface of the bridging plate 232. For purposes of making such tensioning adjustment, mounting bolts 304 for the slide bracket 290 are, of course, suitably loosened.

With this arrangement the boom assembly 280 can be angularly displaced by the turntable 270 to position the demolition tool 284 in different locations relative to the supporting beams 220, 222 and associated components, as described above in connection with FIGURES 1-6. In order to supply the necessary hydraulic fluid a motor pump unit 306 is secured to the rectangular frame 230 for conveying fluid as required from the hydraulic reservoir 308 secured by means of brackets 310 to the supporting beams 220, 222. In furtherance of this purpose suitable hydraulic conduits (not shown) are provided.

In order to furnish visual access to the work during the process of the demolition and from a number of visual angles, a personnel cab or carriage 312 is movably mounted upon the supporting framework of the apparatus. In this arrangement of the invention the cab 312 is dependingly supported from a pair of wheel supported axles 314 comprising a railway type truck 316, the wheels 318 of which respectively engage the longer channel beams 228 located at the sides of the truck 316. As better shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, the axles 314 are rotatably mounted in suitable bearing members 320 mounted at appropriate locations in a pair of spaced L-shaped supported brackets 322, the lower flanges of which, as viewed in FIGURE 8, are secured to the upper end of the operator cab 312. An excess passageway is formed in the top of the cab 312 extending generally between the brackets 322 and the axles 314, with the passageway being protectively closed by trap door 324. Desirably each side of the cab 312 is provided with a reinforced glass window 326 or other visual access means, as better shown in FIGURES 7, 8, 10 and 12 of the drawings.

The operator cab 312 can be moved by hand along the channel beams 228, the upper flanges of which serve as rails for the railway type wheels 318, or alternatively, a suitable motor and gear reduction unit denoted generally by the reference character 328 can be employed to move the cab 312 through suitable driving linkage (not shown).

Insofar as the operation of the extensible boom 280 and associated components is concerned, the procedure is generally similar to that outlined in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES l-6. It will be understood, of course, that more than one demolition tool and turntable-mounted boom assembly can be provided in the embodiment presently under discussion. The use of the movable personnel cab 312, in any event, permits the operator to select the most advantageous location from a number of vantage points from which the work being done can be observed. It will be understood that flexible hydraulic and power linkages (not shown) connect the movable cab 312 with other appropriate components of the apparatus.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a novel and eflicient tool carrier and manipulator arrangement has been disclosed herein. Although the turntables 24 and associated tool manipulators 22 (FIGURES 1-3) have been illustrated as mounted in tandem between the wheel supported axles 20 in order to cooperatively accommodate the widest soaking pits or the like, it is contemplated that in the case of narrower pits, that the turntables 24 can be mounted one behind the other at central locations between the wheel supported axle 20 so that each tool manipulator 22 can span the width of the soaking pit for faster chipping action.

While we have shown and described a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that certain features of the invention can be advantageously utilized without a corresponding use of other features thereof.

We claim:

1. In a demolition tool carrier and manipulator assembly for removing hardened material from the floor and wall surfaces of a soaking pit furnace and the like, the combination comprising a rigid support structure, means mounted on opposite sides of said support structure for engaging external support means, a turntable r0- tatably mounted directly on said support structure at a position intermediate said opposite sides, means for rotating said turntable, an extensible boom assembly, one end of said assembly being pivotally connected centrally to the undersurface of said turntable, means for extending and retracting said boom assembly, means for pivoting said boom assembly coupled to said assembly and to the undersurface of said turntable, a demolition tool pivotally connected to the outer end of said boom assembly, means for pivoting said demolition tool relative to said boom assembly, and means for actuating said demolition tool when engaged with said hardened material, whereby said boom assembly and said tool can be positioned vertically and operated directly beneath said turntable for demolition and prying operations.

2. The combination according to claim 1 characterized in that said boom portions are elongated and hollow throughout their lengths and in that said telescoping means is mounted within said boom portions.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said boom assembly includes a first telescopic boom portion pivotally connected at said boom assembly end to said turntable and a second telescopic boom portion slidably mounted on said first boom portion and having said demolition tool pivotally connected to the outer end thereof, and said boom assembly pivoting means include a piston and cylinder arrangement connected between said first boom portion and said turntable undersurface, the latter connection being closely adjacent the pivot connection between said turntable and said first boom portion to permit maximum axial extension and annular displacement of said boom assembly relative to said turntable and to said vertical position.

4. The combination according to claim 1 characterized in that said turntable is rotatably mounted on the underside of said support structure and that said boom assembly is depended therefrom.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein a second turntable is rotatably mounted on said support structure and spaced from said first-mentioned turntable and second extensible boom assembly, pivoted demolition tool and pivot means for said second boom assembly are similarly mounted on the undersurface of said second turntable.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein an operator support is mounted generally on the undersurface of said support structure to facilitate observation of the work being done by said demolition tools, said support being spaced from said turntables.

7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein clamping means are mounted on said support structure sides for clamping said support structure to said external support means against the application of reactive prying and demolition forces by said tool.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said support structure includes a pair of spaced generally parallel supporting beams spanning a pair of spaced external supports forming part of said external support means, and said clamping means include a clamp structure on each end of each of said beams for securing said beam ends to said spaced external supports respectively.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said support structure includes a second pair of spaced generally parallel supporting beams spanning said first mentioned beams, and additional clamp structures are secured to each end of each of said second beams for securing said second beam ends to said first mentioned beams at selected positions therealong.

10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein tubular stabilizing means are secured to said turntable for rotation therewith and extends transversely through a closely fitting opening therefor in said support structure.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said rotating means includes a gearing train coupled to an end portion of said tubular stabilizing means, and a bearing structure is mounted on said support structure in engagement with the other end portion of said tubular stabilizing means, said stabilizing means and said bearing structure being further stabilized as by a plurality of radially extending fins rigidly secured to said support structure and to said bearing structure.

12. In a demolition tool carrier and manipulator assembly the combination comprising a supporting structure, at least one extensible boom assembly rotatably mounted on said support structure, a demolition tool pivotally connected to the extensible portion of said boom assembly, means for extending and retracting said boom assembly and for pivoting said tool, an enclosed operator cab movably mounted on said structure and spaced from said boom assembly mounting, and means for moving said cab independently of said boom assembly to selectable vantage points relative to said boom assembly to facilitate observation of the work being done thereby.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein said cab is mounted upon a wheel-supported truck, and rail means are spacedly mounted on said supporting structure relative to the mounting thereon of said boom assembly for engagement by said truck.

14. The combination according to claim 13' wherein said boom assembly is mounted on the underside of said support structure and said cab is appended to the underside of said truck to provide unobstructed visual access of said boom assembly and said tool arrangement.

15. The combination according to claim 12 wherein a pair of generally parallel transversely extending rail members are spacedly secured to said supporting structure, and said cab is mounted upon a truck engaging said rail members for movement therealong.

16. The combination according to claim 12 wherein a pair of said boom assemblies are rotatably and spacedly mounted on said support structure, and means are provided for independently rotating each of said boom assemblies.

References Cited ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

